#I hate the new Wikia skin (it is no longer called Oasis, just Wikia, oh, how imaginative!) It is hard to use, slow to load and fixed width is just evil!

#I hate the new Wikia skin (it is no longer called Oasis, just Wikia, oh, how imaginative!) It is hard to use, slow to load and fixed width is just evil!

#There are many good wiki farms. I plan to move Wikisimpsons to ShoutWiki and an old Wikia helper, Jack Phoenix, is a staff member there. Moving will be for the best.

#There are many good wiki farms. I plan to move Wikisimpsons to ShoutWiki and an old Wikia helper, Jack Phoenix, is a staff member there. Moving will be for the best.

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#I am not a major contributor here. Made one or two edits. If you move to ShoutWiki, I will use that one over this one though.

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#I am not a major contributor here. Made one or two edits. If you move to ShoutWiki, I will use that one over this one though.

I have got a list of positives and negatives about ShoutWiki [http://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:Solar_Dragon/ShoutWiki here]. Please read that as it may help make a decision. ☆<span style="font-family:Algerian">[[User:Solar Dragon|<span style="color:green">The</span>]] [[User talk:Solar Dragon|<span style="color:red">Solar</span>]] [[Special:Contributions/Solar Dragon|<span style="color:blue">Dragon</span>]]</span>☆ 06:25, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

I have got a list of positives and negatives about ShoutWiki [http://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:Solar_Dragon/ShoutWiki here]. Please read that as it may help make a decision. ☆<span style="font-family:Algerian">[[User:Solar Dragon|<span style="color:green">The</span>]] [[User talk:Solar Dragon|<span style="color:red">Solar</span>]] [[Special:Contributions/Solar Dragon|<span style="color:blue">Dragon</span>]]</span>☆ 06:25, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

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#Bad.

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#I prefer to leave.

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#Definetly.

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[[User:The Hole|The Hole]] 13:02, October 6, 2010 (UTC)

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#I hate it with a passion (I was in the first batch of beta testers), and I have made an array of essays and blog posts against it. Essentially though, I don't see how this wiki will be able to go on without a sidebar with more than 4 menus, without a sitenotice, without half its content space and without a banner.

#I hate it with a passion (I was in the first batch of beta testers), and I have made an array of essays and blog posts against it. Essentially though, I don't see how this wiki will be able to go on without a sidebar with more than 4 menus, without a sitenotice, without half its content space and without a banner.

#ShoutWiki is looking into snatching Monaco and implementing it on their wikifarm before it gets nuked, and this means widgets will be back there. I'd suggest setting up a donation fund to pay for a server and a domain if you're self-hosting, but admins and users will get more access to the database - and you can mould the wiki however you want it (user right names can be incredibly original).

#ShoutWiki is looking into snatching Monaco and implementing it on their wikifarm before it gets nuked, and this means widgets will be back there. I'd suggest setting up a donation fund to pay for a server and a domain if you're self-hosting, but admins and users will get more access to the database - and you can mould the wiki however you want it (user right names can be incredibly original).

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#I will be quitting Wikia altogether. It's sad, but I can't do anything about it. Even though I have hardly edited here, I read this wiki a lot. I'll definitely become a full time editor when GTA V is announced and that will hopefully be when you guys have a new wiki. Just remember that you will have to make sure this old wiki does not change for the worse while everyone is gone.

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#I will be quitting Wikia altogether. It's sad, but I can't do anything about it. Even though I have hardly edited here, I read this wiki a lot. I'll definitely become a full time editor when GTA V is announced and that will hopefully be when you guys have a new wiki. Just remember that you will have to make sure this old wiki does not change for the worse while everyone is gone.

{{SUBST:User:Tigernose/sig}} 19:09, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

{{SUBST:User:Tigernose/sig}} 19:09, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

Revision as of 13:02, 6 October 2010

Please read the situation explanation before commentingWe are not closing down. We are suggesting moving away from wikia, to our own website.

Discussion

Please use this section to discuss the Oasis skin and the move away from Wikia

This was a discussion I had with Angela Beesley (Wikia Founder) in 2007 before Grand Theft Wiki moved to Wikia:

ME: As for Wikia adverts, I understand that this is central to your business and so I wouldn't prevent that. As on WoWWiki, the advertisements aren't brazenly plastered around every pixel of space. Although I never run adverts on my own sites (something about ethics...), so long as they don't detract from the experience of using the Wiki, then I have no qualms with their use.

ANGELA: Hopefully you won't find them obtrusive. The new skins were designed to keep the ads away from the content, especially for logged in users where there is just one small ad in the top corner.

This is just another proof of the breach of trust we have seen from Wikia. They are not keeping the ads away from the content at all, and they are very obtrusive - especially on the new thinner layout. Logged in users see more than one advert, and it does detract significantly from the experience of using the wiki. Gboyerstalk 22:29, October 3, 2010 (UTC)

Community Answers

Please place your answers below, in a similar format to this first post.

What do you think of the Oasis skin? - I think the skin is okay, but it does NOT suit a wiki, especially GTW. It will also cause a lot of problems, and ruin our identity.

Do you think GTW should leave Wikia? - Yes, but only if the community are with us. Splitting the community in two, or only taking away the staff, would be disastrous for both forks.

If we moved, would you move with us, rather than staying on gta.wikia.com? Yes - it is absolutely imperative that we all move together.

I think that the skin looks horrible, worse than the current Wikia preferred option (which I also do not use). The skin will take away the identity of GTW and create a layout that could be any other wiki.

Yes and I suggested the possibility when they introduced the now outgoing skin a while back.

I didn't like some of the things i read about the new changes. When these changes take place i will be leaving. I will follow GTW if it moves and i hope that it does. Jaceysdad 23:20, October 3, 2010 (UTC)

I hate it with a passion (I was in the first batch of beta testers), and I have made an array of essays and blog posts against it. Essentially though, I don't see how this wiki will be able to go on without a sidebar with more than 4 menus, without a sitenotice, without half its content space and without a banner.

ShoutWiki is looking into snatching Monaco and implementing it on their wikifarm before it gets nuked, and this means widgets will be back there. I'd suggest setting up a donation fund to pay for a server and a domain if you're self-hosting, but admins and users will get more access to the database - and you can mould the wiki however you want it (user right names can be incredibly original).

I will be quitting Wikia altogether. It's sad, but I can't do anything about it. Even though I have hardly edited here, I read this wiki a lot. I'll definitely become a full time editor when GTA V is announced and that will hopefully be when you guys have a new wiki. Just remember that you will have to make sure this old wiki does not change for the worse while everyone is gone.

{{SUBST:User:Tigernose/sig}} 19:09, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

Leaving

because, do not leave this site at wikia.

So, this place will be completely dead?

Am I understanding this correctly? This place will beasically become a tomb with no updates due to this new skin?

Okay, that's fair enough and I will not begrudge you the right to such a course of action. Especially if the monkeys on this site, in their ivory towers, insist of forcing a new skin upon us.

But please clarify something, if we abandon this place. Will there be another GTA database we can all contribute to? With all the articles we've made here?

I simply cannot stomach the idea of leaving this place and yet having nowhere else to go. A lot of people have put in a lot of effort here. It would be a massive shame to just give up. So, any clarification will be much appreciated and hopefully sweeten the bitter pill.

The idea is that we would move to a new site, taking a copy of all content with us. However, some people might stay here and continue to run this copy. This is why we want to make sure everyone comes over to the new site, rather than trying to run two wikis in competition with each other. Gboyerstalk 13:33, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

Thanks for clarifying, friend. And it goes without saying that when the move comes, I'll go along too. There is no point sticking with a site that doesn't respect its users and claims to listen to them whilst flatly ignoring all of their concerns and fears. This community of ours is a great thing, all of us are drawn together by a common love of the greatest series of games ever created (In my mind at least) and it would be very regrettable if there was a deep, irrepairable schism simply because this site is ran by fools. IdesofMarch 13:42, October 4, 2010 (UTC)IdesofMarch

Randomtomato 15:55, October 4, 2010 (UTC)
Would like to see you move away from Wikia as that skin is just stupid, although i would like to see GTW in the Wikipedia-esque format because its easy to use.
Randomtomato 15:56, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

Monobook, the skin formerly used by Wikipedia, and Vector (Wikipedia's new skin) will be both available to anyone self-hosting and using the latest MediaWiki software. {{SUBST:User:Tigernose/sig}} 19:12, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

This sounds like a good idea to me.

I really haven't liked a lot of Wikia's recent changes and I hope we can find somewhere better or else just self host. I really don't think the Oasis skin is a good skin for wikis though. I wonder if we could get in withGTANet somehow?

I guess I really think we should leave Wikia behind. I'm sure we could do better elsewhere. It probably doesn't help that the subjects of this wiki are not as family friendly, so they don't even want us here.

UPDATE: 3 Wikis already left

Club Penguin Wiki, Apple Wiki and Casualty wiki have left. Soon, more wikis will either: Move to another Wiki farm, or create their own site. Any thoughts on the exodus ahead? Kanzler31 22:53, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

We are toying with the idea. I want to make sure we make the right decision for THIS wiki and its community, not just blindly follow others without thinking carefully about the consequences. There is still time for Wikia to make this right, and that would be the simplest option for everyone. Gboyerstalk 00:07, October 5, 2010 (UTC)

Go for it!

We should leave Wikia. I have checked out the new skin and it dosen't look all great. I enjoy this current skin anyway. If you leave, I will go to the new site. Just make sure that you let everyone know when the exodus will take place.Klltr 00:39, October 5, 2010 (UTC)

Hard decision

This skin is like our identity, why should we get it taken by wikia.Of course wikia would like it they're all for tidyness and stuff like that.

This is where its hard if we stay all kinds of problems will arise, however if we go the 2nd fork will probably get more popularity than us.However I think we should move.

Hell yeah!

Please stay on Wikia

The information for everything on this site is very valuable for my videos. Also it's cool to read all of the trivia. But if you leave gta.wikia.com, I will go with you as well.

Move to neoseeker?

Neoseeker already have their own GTA Wiki. Anyone think we can merge with them? Kanzler31 22:08, October 5, 2010 (UTC)

No. We should become our own website, with nothing else holding us down. MAINEiac4434 00:11, October 6, 2010 (UTC)

Does not feel right.

I really dont care,but if GTW does I think it'll be harder to find us

Absolutely

GTA Wikia is really, Truly, my most favorite wikia.

Reasons Why you should stay:

I use gta wikia to hat important photos for Guns, Cars, Radio Stations, And Locations. And without gta wikia, I don't know anywhere else that provides such amazing, knoledgable information on gta wikia if there's anything that I can do to help keep the information on this site intact, I'd do it so if you need assistance, go to my talk page on my profile.

I sometimes just like to explore this wikia, and I've learned so much more about gta than I actually could playing it. And if you do move, I would really like to be told on when, or where you will be moving, this is an amazing site with great gta information. It's my lifeline to gta pictures, mysteries, and information.--Lee R. Writer of Catsville Series, & eventual cv game.

We're not closing down, just moving away from wikia. You'll be able to do all the things on the new wiki that you can do here. We'll let you know when and where we are moving when we are ready. Chimpso (Talk) 00:56, October 6, 2010 (UTC)

Ghost Leader's 2 Cents

1. What do you think of the Oasis skin?

I don't like it at all.

2. Do you think GTW should leave Wikia?

If it means GTW remains about the users and content of the site instead of advertisements, then yes, I would support the move.

3. If we moved, would you move with us, rather than staying on gta.wikia.com?

My two cents

For occasions like this, I prefer to watch from the sidelines unless I am asked to help, but I do have some beef with Wikia central regarding the quality of generated thumbnails; after thumbnails were rendered in poor quality again last month, I've attempted to contact staff members repeatedly, but I've failed to receive any response. It's not enough to have me raging to leave, but it does show how ignorant staff members may be to the point they even ignore your messages to them. The fiasco with Oasis may also be, in part, a result of this problem.

I'm not fond of uprooting myself to another wiki, but I can migrate when the situation demands it. I have contributed heavily to Wikipedia years ago (just when I simultaneously wrote my first articles in this very Wikia), but when stringent copyright guidelines saw much of my screenshot deleted en masse, I was spurred to simply leave Wikipedia behind and move to Wikia. If Wikia is hell bent on pushing forward a heavily commercial-driven web design that impedes the presentation of an article, there is no doubt that I will move to a better wiki, especially one that is readily forked from Wikia.

Still, I'm not going to say if I'll leave or not. I'll just wait and see. - ZS 09:11, October 6, 2010 (UTC)

To add to my first bit, the thumbnail lightbox is also something that I've never liked. While it can be argued that it's for user friendliness, it would had been better if they had an option to disable it for those who do not have a need for it. I've recommendation this option to a corresponding blog post, but I've never been referred back to. That was the first sign that Wikia is screwing up. - ZS 09:43, October 6, 2010 (UTC)

My Answers

1. What do you think of the Oasis skin?

i think its a sleeker look, but much less efficient :(

2. Do you think GTW should leave Wikia?

well thats up to the admins i suppose but under these circumstances, yes i think you should move it.

3. If we moved, would you move with us, rather than staying on gta.wikia.com?

without thinking twice, yes i will be apart of the new wiki if you move! MegaHyperNova 09:21, October 6, 2010 (UTC)